• Malinda Williams is an American actress, producer, and author
• She was born in 1970 in Elizabeth, NJ and attended Union County College of Elizabeth and The Actors Conservatory in NYC
• Williams has appeared in numerous TV series and films, including Soul Food, The Wood, Daddy’s Little Girls, and A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
• She has also written four books and has a lingerie line, Modern Goddess
• Williams is worth approximately $2.5 million as of 2023
Malinda Williams is an American actress, producer, and author, perhaps best known for her roles in the TV drama series “Soul Food”, and the film “The Wood.”
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Age, Early Life, and Education Background
Malinda Williams was born under the Libra zodiac sign on 24 September 1970, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and is 53 years old as of 2023. She’s one of the daughters of Fred Williams and his wife Beverly, and was raised alongside her elder sisters Leslie Dunn and Lisa Sorensen.
Malinda attended a local elementary school in Elizabeth before she joined Westfield High School, and matriculated to the Union County College of Elizabeth. Moreover, she honed her acting skills at The Actors Conservatory, which is based in New York City.
TV Appearances
Williams made her TV debut as Althea Logan in the episode “Calling Doctor Huxtable” of “The Cosby Show” in 1987. In 1989, she appeared in the crime drama “Miami Vice,” which was followed by one-episode appearances in several shows such as the comedy-drama “Roc,” sitcom “Sister, Sister,” and the CBS legal drama “The Client.” 1996 saw her cast for the recurring role of Taylor in the UPN sitcom “Moesha”, sharing the screen with the R&B singer Brandy Norwood, Marcus T. Paulk and Countess Vaughn. In 1997, she portrayed Tasha in 21 episodes of the sitcom “Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher.”
From 2000 to 2004, Williams was cast for the main role as Tracy Van Adams in the Showtime drama “Soul Food: The Series,” which was based on the 1997 drama movie “Soul Food.” The series also stars Aaron Meeks, Rockmond Dunbar, and Boros Kodjoe and follows the struggles, triumphs, and enmity of a multigenerational Afro-American family residing in Chicago, Illinois. Malissa appeared in all five seasons. Subsequently, she appeared in single episodes of several series, such as the police procedural “The Division” and the crime drama “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” In 2006, she landed the starring role of Kimberley in the NBC serial drama “Windfall.”
Malinda Williams as Young Alicia in The Wood (1999) pic.twitter.com/wr7bDaxaY7
— Jada Renée (@jadareneeholy) August 31, 2020
Film Appearances
Williams’ film debut was her portrayal of Erica Wright in Martin Lawrence’s hit romantic movie “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate” in 1996. In the same year, she landed a role in the sports film “Sunset Park.” 1999 she co-starred alongside Mari Morrow and her ex-husband, Mekhi Phifer, in the thriller “Uninvited Guest.” Her following roles were in the Isaiah Washington-starred HBO movie “Dancing in September” in 2000, the Tyler Perry film “Daddy’s Little Girl” in 2007, and Sticky Fingaz’s musical crime film “A Day in the Life” in 2009.
2012 was a very busy year for Malissa, as she appeared in five films including the Russ Parr-directed drama “The Undershepherd,” which starred Isaiah Washington. In 2014, she played Cassandra in the film “Percentage” and later Rakeesha in the 2015 romantic comedy, “Accidental Love.” Most recently in 2019, Williams appeared in two films, “Loved to Death” and “A Second Chance.”
Writing Career
Malinda has so far written four books: her first was “It Came to My Ear,” which is about effective communication, and was published in September 2018, followed by “Global Women Empowerment Network: GWEN Magazine Issue #1 2019.” Malinda released two books in 2022, “The Awakening” and “The Game of Life & How to Slay It.”
Awards and Nominations
For her 1999 performance in “The Wood,” Williams was nominated for a Black Reel Award for Best Actress, and was nominated for three consecutive Image Awards (NAACP) for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in “Soul Food” from 2003-2005. Moreover, her performance in “The Undershepherd” in 2012 saw her scoop the American Black Film Festival Award for Best Performance by an Actor (Female or Male).
Personal Life
Malinda is married to the award-winning American journalist and blogger, Tariq Walker, who is also a digital media executive, travels to exotic places and writes about his fun experiences on his blog. The duo met through a mutual friend, and shared a strong bond after their first encounter. Walker proposed to her in March 2019 and they shared the good news with their fans and supporters on their respective social media accounts. They walked the aisle in 2020 and their wedding was featured on the Black Bride Magazine cover. On the wedding day, Williams wore a gown designed by the acclaimed designer, Ines Di Santo. On the other hand, Walker’s black tuxedo was designed by the celebrity fashion designer, Miguel Wilson. The duo is seemingly very much in love and often make public appearances together, including visiting exotic destinations side by side. They haven’t welcomed any children together.
Malinda had married twice before exchanging vows with Tariq. She developed feelings for the American actor Mekhi Phifer during the filming of “High School High.” They dated for a while and later walked the aisle on Valentine’s Day in 1999. Phifer is known for his appearance in the long-running NBC medical drama series “ER”, and is also famous for co-starring alongside the American rapper and actor Eminem in the 2002 film “8 Mile.” The couple has a son named Omikaye Phifer. They divorced in 2003 and Phifer went on to date a Laotian woman named Oni Souratha, with whom he welcomed a son named Mekhi Thira Phifer Jr. After breaking up with Souratha, he began dating the NBC creative director, Reshelet Barnes, and they eventually made things official in 2013.
After her divorce, Williams fell in love with the American disc jockey (DJ), rapper and producer, Derrick Jones, known professionally as D-Nice. The rapper rose to prominence for his involvement with the now-defunct hip-hop group, Boogie Down Productions, which comprised DJ Scott La Rock and KRS-One. He also became popular for helping the American Singer-songwriter and rapper, Kid Rock, sign with Jive Records, which made him a celebrity. Williams and D-Nice exchanged vows on 23 August 2008, but they began having problems in their marriage in 2010, which saw them divorce in June of that year.
Malinda follows the Christianity religion.
Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance
Williams is of Afro-American ethnicity and has a set of black eyes and black hair. She is slimly built, weighs around 115lbs (52kgs), is 5ft 2ins (1.57m) tall, with vital statistics of 34-26-34; she wears shoe and dress sizes 8(US) and 4(US).
Net Worth
Malinda has earned her net worth from her acting career and the sale of her books, and also has a lingerie line, Modern Goddess, which contributes to her wealth. She is worth approximately $2.5 million as of 2023.
